We need mental health and employment support available for everyone who needs it, whether to help them stay in work or get back into the labour market. And we need to become a nation of mental health friendly employers, where staff are able to talk about mental health difficulties in the knowledge that they will not be discriminated against or passed over because of it.

In principle I do not think there is anything wrong with Cameron's proposals. There certainly is a growing culture of entitlement in Britain and the idea of working for benefits is not a bad one. But why start with youth? Why not start with those with a far longer history of unemployment?

People looking for their first job have long had a raw deal in the labour market. The effects of the financial crisis in 2008 meant employers disproportionately scaled back recruitment of entry level jobs and the most recent ONS statistics concerning those Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET) say there are still 954,000 young (16 -24) NEETs.

It is clear that the Conservative Party's longer-term economic plan is working. They are cutting income tax for over 25 million people, saving the typical tax payer £705 a year. They are cutting the jobs tax saving businesses up to £2,000 enabling businesses to hire more people...

One in seven British employees has lost their job since the beginning of the recession in 2008, but when I was being made redundant at 23, all the advice and personal stories I could find were aimed at people in their thirties and above, meaning I felt confused and isolated.

Ordinarily, an impending election would whip politicians into a mad frenzy of desperately trying to rectify such a disaster; then things might actually change. Another good reason for young people to vote.

Reductions in the claimant count will always be welcome, but what is needed from all parties between now and 7 May are policies which support all young people out of unemployment and into sustainable work.

As employers, we know how tough it is out there, but that doesn't stop us wanting the very best people for the job, particularly as these new recruits could one day become the leaders of our businesses. We want to see evidence that these young people have got what it takes to negotiate the complexities of today's workplace.

You want a truly diverse workforce, you don't have people brought in because they fit a label, you bring them in because they're talented. It's a matter of pride and self-worth to refuse a job if you know you're only being offered it because you fit into a particular category.

For full employment to become a reality, any government needs to ensure all of Britain benefits from prosperity. The coalition would rather make empty rhetorical gestures than actually work towards real opportunities for all.

Already there are thousands of unpaid interns struggling to make ends meet, and even more who are turned away from professions not because of their skills, but because of their economic background. If we want our workforce to be a reflection of society instead of inequality then we need to widen access to internships, improve their quality, and make sure they are paid.

The list of things which can go wrong in a young person's life is a long and ugly one. From a troubled home life featuring violence or emotional abuse, to bullying, health problems or being the caregiver for family members; young people are often carrying more than just the burden of growing up.

The line up of this year's Celebrity Big Brother has been announced, and it shows a familiar bunch of has-beens, never-weres, side-show freaks and fake controversialists. Into that last category falls Katie Hopkins, newspaper columnist and scourge of the unemployed and benefit claimants...

The shopping is done, the presents are wrapped and plans have been made. Yes, Christmas is just around the corner. And before we know it, we'll be toasting in the New Year. People say things tend to quieten down for businesses around this time of year, but this certainly hasn't been the case in the skills and employment arena. Quite the opposite, in fact.

If we want the kind of economy and country where all are empowered to make the most of their careers and lives, and where the needs of the many are prioritised over those of the few, we need to understand the real story behind the coalition 'recovery'.

The Chancellor's Autumn Statement sparked a grand level of debate and, as ever, divided opinion. Stamp Duty has grabbed most headlines, with the reforms in the levy being charged at different levels of house price attracting a lion's share of the discussion.

Yesterday, I walked into the shopping centre of my local town, and I came across an artist at work. His poetry, written in chalk, spanned the pavement and I, like many others, paused to read. His work seemed to be aimed at generating thought and reflection, and if this was the case, it was certainly working.

I think I will always divide my life into two parts, before London360, and after London360. Before seeing the advert for volunteer positions at London360, I was like many young graduates, unemployed and down on my luck.

I have been unemployed for the best part of the last three years. Despite a couple of creative successes it wasn't viable to lead an existence on the back of these, so I had to look for a real job. I did try to achieve this, but I wasn't getting any results so I was told that perhaps I wasn't trying hard enough.